Roller unit for sliding door panels



April 1961 D. J. RUST ET AL 2,980,947

ROLLER UNIT FOR SLIDING DOOR PANELS Filed Oct. 16, 1959 INVENTORS DavidJ P1132 Jack A. Jemsen /JM QM i 2,980,947 ROLLERUNIT non SLIDING noonPANELS,

David Jordan Rust, San Leandro, and Jack H. Jensen, Danville, Calili,assignors to Rylock Company, Ltd; San Leandro, Calif., a corporation ofCalifornia Filed on. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 846,864

4 Claims. c1. 16-105) This invention relates in general to improvementsin doors of the type which include a sliding panel supported in a framefor horizontal movement between closed and open positions; the frameembodying a sill having a longitudinal rail thereon, and the slidingpanel being fitted adjacent each lower corner with a roller unit whichrides such rail in panel supporting and guiding relation. The majorobject of the present invention is to provide a novel and improvedroller unit for a sliding door panel; the roller unit being especiallydesigned, but not limited, for use in connection with a metal-framedsliding door assembly.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a rollerunit, as above, particularly adapted to be mounted in the metallicbottom bar of a sliding door panel, which is of inverted channel shape;the roller unit being relatively vertically adjustably secured-in thechannel of said bottom bar in a novel manner.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide arollerunit, as in the preceding paragraph, which includes means to assure ofits lateral stability in the channel of the bottom bar of the slidingpanel, yet without imposing undue frictional drag between the bottom barand such unit when the latter is relatively adjusted up or down.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a roller unit, forsliding door panels, which is designed for simplicity and economy ofmanufacture, ease of installation, and long, trouble-free service.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a practical,reliable, and durable roller unit for sliding door panels, and one whichis exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary foreshortened elevation, partly broken away, ofa sliding door assembly; the view showing particularly the improvedroller units as mounted in connection with the sliding door panel.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section of one of the rollerunits; the view being taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal elevation, partly broken away andpartly in section, on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional plan view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the charactersof reference marked thereon, the present invention is embodied in asliding door assembly which comprises a metallic frame, indicatedgenerally and in part at 1, and which frame is provided-at the bottomwith a longitudinal sill 2. Such sill is supported from the sub-floor 3,abutting along its inner edge against the floor 4 and formed along itsouter edge with an apron 5 which overhangs the outside finish 6 ofstucco or other material.

Additionally, the door assembly incorporates a horizon- Fatented Apr.25, 1961 2 tally sliding panel 7 and a fixed panel 8; the panel 7 whenopened sliding behind the panel 8. Both panels are fitted with a pane 9of glass carried in a metallic frame; the frame for the sliding panel 7including stiles 10 and 11, and a horizontal bottom bar 12'which,abutsat its ends against lower portions of the stiles 10 and 11, with suchparts rigidly connected together by means not here shown.

The horizontal bottom bar 12 is of inverted channel shape, and anintially separate rollerunit, indicated generally at 13, is mounted ineach lower corner of the sliding panel 7 within the confines of saidbottom bar 12.

The roller units 13 ride on a longitudinal track or rail 14 formedintegral with and upstanding from the sill 2, whereby to support andguide said sliding panel 7. In order to effectively support the sill 2against downward deflection under the weight of the sliding panel 7, andas transmitted through the roller units 13 and rail 14, said sill isprovidedon the under side, and directly below the rail-with a foot 15which rests on the sub-floor 3.

The present invention is directed to the structure, mount ing, andfunction of the roller units 13, and as the same are identical adescription of one will sufiice for both.

Each roller unit 13 comprises a generally horizontal or longitudinallyextending yoke 16 which includes side plates 17 and 18, and-at the outerendan integral cross plate 19.

The roller 20 rides the rail 14, and the yoke 16 is mounted-within theconfines of the inverted channel. shaped bottom bar 12-as follows: 7

Each of the side plates 17 and 18 are formed-at the upper edge, andadjacent the stile 11with upstandingrounded ears 22 which bear, at anengagement point 23,

' against the top 24 of said bottom bar 12. The ears 22,

positioned as described, are offset some distance from; the axis of theroller 20 in the direction of the stile 11..

The stile 11 is formed-at its inner side and in the" lower portionthereof, and against which portion the adjacent end of the bottom bar 12abuts-with a vertical slot 25 defined by transversely spaced, inturned,vertical? flanges 26. The cross plate 19 of the yoke 16 lies closelyadjacent to and spans the slot 25; a headed screw 27' extending throughsaid slot 25- and being threaded into the cross plate 19, as at 28. Thehead 29 of screw 27 is disposed within the stile 11, which is hollow;the:

' screw head bearing against a washer 30 which surrounds the screw andrests against the inner edges of the flanges 26. Access to the screwhead 29 is had through an en larged hole 31 formed in the outer side ofsaid stile 11.,

By adjusting the screw 27 in one direction or the other, and by reasonof the olfsetting of the axis of roller 20 from the ears 22 and theengagement of the latter, as at 23, with the top 24 of bottom bar 12,the yoke 16 relatively swings up or down, whereby the adjacent portionof sliding panel 7 is correspondingly vertically adjusted. Moreparticularly, when the screw 27 is run in a. threading-out direction,the weight of the sliding panel 7, as imposed through ears 22 on yoke16, causes the latter" to relatively lower about the axis of roller 20,and the adjacent portion of said sliding panel 7 follows. On the otherhand, when screw 27 is run in a threading-in direction, the yoke 16 isrelatively raised, and-through the ears 22correspondingly raises saidadjacent portion of sliding panel 7. See Fig. 3 wherein the yoke 16 andadjacent portion of the sliding panel 7 is shown in a relatively loweredposition in dotted lines and in a re1a-- tively raised position in fulllines.

Thus, by the 27 the adjacent raised or lowered, and as may be necessaryfor proper positioning or leveling of said-panel; one or both of theroller units 13 being adjusted to this end.

The yoke 16, which issomewhatnarrower than the inside transverse widthof the channelshaped bottom bar 12, is stabilized in the latter, andprevented against undesirable side play, by a plurality of small nubs 32which project outwardly from the side plates 17 and 18 into. engagementwith the corresponding sides of the bottom bar 12. By the use of simpleexpedient of adjusting the screw such nubs not only is the yoke 16stabiportion of the sliding panel 7 can be 4 7 adjacent said member,said mount being a yoke having longitudinal sides and an integraltransverse end, the latter facing and being adjacent said member, themember having an opening therethrough, a headed screw extending throughsuch opening and being threaded into said transverse end of the yoke,and ears upstanding from the sides of the yoke adjacent said transverseend thereof; the bottom bar including a top against which the lizedagainst undesirable lateral movement, but addition- I ally such nubs donot impose any appreciable frictional drag on the sides of the bottombar when such yoke is relatively vertically adjusted.

The roller units 13, each constructed and mounted as described, providea very elfective means for supporting the sliding panel 7 from the rail14 for easy guided movement therealong; the adjustability of such unitsbeing of substantial advantage in the disposition of the sliding panel 7for proper operation.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as will substantially fulfill the objects ofthe invention, as set forth herein.

While this specificationsets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. In a sliding door assembly which includes a frame having a sill witha longitudinal rail thereon, and a sliding ears hear from beneath, andthe roller being journaled between the sides of the yoke in offsetrelation to said ears in a direction away from said transverse'end ofsuch yoke.

2. A structure, as in claim 1, in which the opening in said member is avertical slot through which the screw extends.

3. A structure, as in claim 1, in which the bottom bar includes sidesadjacent but spaced from corresponding sides of the yoke; said yokesides having laterally outwardly projecting nubs which bear in yokestabilizing relation against the sides of the bottom bar.

4. In a sliding door assembly which includes a sill having alongitudinal rail and a sliding door panel which includes a bottom barof inverted channel form above the sill and a closure member for one endof the bar, a

' yoke in the bar adjacent said one end thereof and movable verticallyrelative thereto, a transverse-axis railengaging roller mounted in theyoke adjacent the end thereof furthest from the member, said memberhaving a vertical slot therethrough and the yoke adjacent said memberhaving a transverse cross plate rigid therewith and engaging the member,a headed tension screw projecting through the slot and threaded into thecross plate,

7 and rounded ears on the yoke adjacent the cross plate door panelhaving a bottom bar fitted with at least one roller unit riding saidrail; said roller unit comprising a transverse axis roller, an initiallyseparate mount in which the roller is journaled, the bottom bar being ofinverted channel shape, a rigid closure member at one end of the bottombar, the mount being disposed in the bottom bar projecting upwardly fromthe yoke into rockable engagement, lengthwise of the yoke and bar, withthe top of said bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS809,695 'Keil Jan. 9, 1906 2,668,318 Le Bon Feb. 9, 1954 2,845,846Kelleher Aug. 5, 1958

